Would'nt it be nice if we all wake early at six, head to school for an hour's lesson, sailed the afternoon away and have our stomach's fill at night.
Yesterday was all about spontaneous decisions. BOTH international business and the country club field trip got cancelled leaving us looking at each other at 9am in the morning. So we decided to sail and I finally got the chance to sail with james, tillyson and xinyi on the laser picos. What i started learning from sailing is from disability sailing using access dinghys so I had the basic theory, knots and lingos on hand. We headed for breakfast at sunplaza and then to SAF yatch club in Sembawang, more or less a familiar place from my weeks attendind SDSC disability sailing classes to learn about their sports.
The guys rigged up the boats and it was decided that I'll be james' crew while xinyi went with tilly. For how expertly they rigged and launched the boats, the guys actually FORGOT the lifevests. *smacks head* I was ready to get into the boat before it hit me that something was amiss. Ok, first hiccup of the day.
The wind was totally awesome. Once out at sea, the sails picked up and it needed james to do hiking (hanging the body out of the boat for balance & control) to battle the wind. Its like flying over the waters at fast speeds. The hard part comes when we have to tack( change of direction pointing towards the wind) which would cause the sail to switch direction abruptly and we need to duck it and change position to the other side of the boat to balance it before we capsize. Hahaha my first try caused the whole boat to go down, with james shouting at me to get out of the sail. It was our first scare because i was close to the sails and rope with little angle and i went down with the sail on top of me. I actually saw the sail falling on top, felt the many ropes that was around and then i saw only water. #$^% , i had to keep a clear head and take a chance in the direction that i felt would get me out. I came out cursing, thank god i capsized many times in the kayak and they always teach us to keep a cool head below, sitting in the overturned kayak for three counts underwater and wait for rescue by another kayak, if not just detach yourself and get the hell out there onto surface.
James uprighted the boat and both of our boats headed for seletar island. We saw the navy base and there were alot of guys out at sea rowing and learning how to drive the inflatable boats. the ride was relaxing with good wind. both of us just locked the ropes and shake our legs looking out for kelongs, coast guards, wind patterns, steering in and out of johor and sg. We passed the ship yards and as a commercial ship was doing some sort of movement we had to stop and allow for it to clear before we had the right of way. Spent half an hour, sailing in circles and looking at the ship pee. It has to empty its hull of water and it took forever for the ship to move backwards and park. By then we saw the rain mist coming in from johor and spent a good 15mins with fantastic wind in the rain over the dark landscape. There's just something scary and exhilarating being at sea in such weather; a good high.
We headed back to the area at the clubhouse where tilly dropped xinyi off before he headed back to sea where james was teaching me how to sail the boat myself and do tacking. Took me a good 30mins, 15 tacks later and many cuts and bruises to get the hang of things with james constant drilling because I wasnt confident that i could actually sail a two man boat alone. I actually got use to his style of teaching even though I was being banged around by the boat shifting places in the tacks. Then he jumped off into the sea, waved and swam to tilly's boat.
Damn, I had no time to react before I realised i was alone manning the boat and the wind came and the boat went faster and higher. It was as if my body went on high alert and I steered, I sheet in the sails and I hiked. At one point, the boat was going so fast that it tipped to the side and my weight couldnt bring it back, it took me all my weight hanging out with my feet in the strap to stabilise it but i was still going fast and the boat was threatening to tip again. Had to do a tack too because i was going too far out and needed to turn. I looked back for help many times to see the guys just gawking at me and the navy guys were all staring from their boat now. My brain was screaming at me to stop and slow down but i didnt know how to so when it was time to turn, i tacked in really strong wind that caused the boat to take in water and capsize. I looked for the guys but they couldnt reach me in time. Hahaha later, tilly said tt when he saw me cap he was ready to jump from the other boat and swim over.
Okay but guess i was still working on adrenaline, i remembered what james always did to right the boat and in a few attempts with my own weight I tipped it back. I just went like wow. Tired, usually i would hang in there before i muster enough strength to hoist myself up, this time my mind just took over, knowing that i dont have time to be scared and staying in the water without trying would cause the currents to drift me away. I hoist, pulled and clawed my way up. So unglam but actually I was afraid the navy boat would come and save me because they saw the whole capsize, that would be embarrassing.
Sitting upright i took my position and the wind caused my boat to go fast again. urgh i need to know how to stop! Finally when i came nearer to the guys' boat they were shouting eileen you're sailing! but it was like fuck i know im sailing, now i need to stop. It would have been hilarious if i wasnt still driven on adrenaline and was very much aware that i needed to tack again and the boat was starting to hike up. So i was like shouting 'im going too fast i want to stop! stopp!' and the boys was shouting ten thousand and one instructions and i got too confused while still having to steer and steady the edge of the boat. In the end, i manage to absorb enough to let loose all my sail and tilly jumped into the water and reached me. I waited for him to come up and continued sailing at a steady speed now. I spent ten whole minutes in shock over what i just did and my disbelief that james just jumped off. James kept telling tilly to come off and let me sail while tilly on the boat with me had a different style of teaching. But you know what, what james did, worked. I was a disaster in my first few attempts in controlling the boat that caused james to hang on to the edge ready to jump off in the event of another one of my unintentional capsizing stunts. I wouldnt approve of it if he asked me if he could jump but this 'pushing the other person off the cliff to learn' is still one of the method of teaching that was successful and let me learnt what hours at sea cant in five minutes. I understood now why xinyi, karen and stella said that james had a reputation out at sea and wld prefer tilly. haha no offense meant to either, both are just as good with their teaching styles.
U've got to admit it, I was a great student too. Hahaha =D Thank God for my level headedness. After that, tilly did get off the boat with warning this time and I was sailing alone and tacking with alot more confidence. Thus ends my first foray into sailboats. The next time, i would need to learn how to jive, its just like tacking except that the sail and its boom swings towards you more violently and i'll have to DUCK, change sides fast and steady the boat. Already i've got one bump on the forehead when i didnt duck, it hurts getting hit in the face, who knows, more adventure then. =)